A recent study conducted by the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) has raised alarms about the safety of bottled water brands in Pakistan. The study found that 27 brands of bottled water being sold across the country contain dangerous contaminants, which pose serious health risks to consumers.
The findings show that some bottled water brands contain dangerously high levels of sodium, arsenic, and potassium, while others have been found to be bacterially contaminated. These harmful substances and bacteria increase the risks of various health issues, including cancer, kidney and heart diseases, high blood pressure, and stomach infections such as cholera.
The study was part of PCRWR’s quarterly monitoring efforts, which are carried out under the supervision of the Ministry of Science and Technology. In its fourth-quarter report for 2024, covering the period from October to December, the council collected 176 bottled water samples from 20 cities across Pakistan.
Dr. Hifza Rasheed, Director General of PCRWR, explained that the test results were compared with the standards set by the Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority (PSQCA). The results showed that 27 bottled water brands were not fit for human consumption due to chemical or microbiological contamination.
Among the brands identified as problematic were Miran Drinking Water, Pak Aqua, Jel Bottled Water, Neo, Eltsen, Pure Water, Aqua Health, Oslo, and More Plus, which contained excessive sodium levels. Meanwhile, One Pure Drinking Water, Indus, Premium Safa Purified Water, Orwell, and Natural Pure Life were found to have unsafe levels of arsenic. Hunza Utter Water exceeded the permissible limits for potassium.
Additionally, 16 brands were flagged for bacterial contamination, including SS Water, Sip Premium Drinking Water, D-Nova, Sky Rain, Neo, Pure Water, Dream Pure, Aqua Sharav Pure Drinking Water, Marvi, Ice Well, Akb Sky, Karakorum Spring Water, More Plus, Essentia, and Life Inn, making these brands unfit for consumption.
Dr. Rasheed noted that under federal cabinet directives, water samples are collected from 24 cities every three months and the results are shared with the PSQCA and provincial authorities for necessary regulatory action. However, while PCRWR is responsible for testing and reporting, the task of issuing licenses and taking legal action against companies selling substandard water lies with other regulatory bodies.
Attempts to contact the companies behind the flagged brands have met with limited responses. Some representatives claimed that the businesses had been sold, while others failed to respond. A few companies defended their products, asserting that they comply with the required quality standards.
